Social Security
Social Security to Enter the 21st Century
It might seem odd that business by phone and electronic signatures is not standard practice for the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the year 2022, when such is commonplace at so many entities in the private sector. Dave Kovaleski of…
Would You Share Your Home To Earn Income in Retirement?
Social Security replaces just 40% of pre-retirement income. Financial planners and experts have advised for years that savings and pensions (or 401k plans) are needed to make up the difference so people can enjoy a fruitful retirement over mere existence. Gabrielle…
Five Expenses May Offset Social Security Payment Increases
Kelsey Ramirez of Fox Business notes the highest cost of living adjustment (COLA) in 40 years for Social Security recipients, at 5.9%, still has a downside. Increases are designed to protect buying power, but as she notes, many seniors are still falling…
Social Security 2100 Act – Just Old Wine in a New Bottle?
Alicia Munnell of MarketWatch dives into Rep. John Larson’s (D-CT) 2021 version of his 2019 Social Security 2100 Act. The new bill produces only about half the revenue as the 2019 proposal, mainly because the payroll tax is not raised. This…
Senior Conundrum: Inflation is Higher Than Upcoming COLA
What is one to do? Yes, the 5.9% cost of living adjustment scheduled to take effect January 1, 2022 is the highest in 40 years for Social Security recipients. But prices are rising faster than that. Kelsey Ramirez analyzes different inflation data,…
Simplify Retirement Planning with Social Security’s New Statement Changes
The Social Security benefit statements that people can access on-line are about to become more helpful and informative. Kelsey Ramirez explains the changes announced by the Social Security Administration in October. A few changes to the redesigned Social Security Statement are these: Ability to…
A Recap of the Social Security Year Ahead
2022 is hurtling toward us at a rapid clip–who can believe we’re only a week away from Halloween?–and there are. as usual, a slate of changes anyone contemplating retirement (or already in retirement) should be aware of. Yahoo.com’s Andrew Lisa provides…
Discussing Social Security Myths
In a YouTube post, BetterMoneyTV.com hosted a discussion on a handful of myths and misunderstandings widely held in the general public about Social Security. The discussion focused on four key perpetuated misstatements: (1) many think they must start benefits at…
The National Average Wage Index and Calculating Social Security Benefits
Lorie Konish explains the National Average Wage Index (AWI) in this informative piece. The AWI has increased every year from 1951 to 2008 with the exception of 2009 when it declined by 1.5% due to the financial crisis. This lowered benefits for those who became eligible…
A Raise That Isn’t and a “New Normal” Few Like
The Social Security Administration announced on October 13th that the cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2002 will be 5.9%. That’s the highest in 40 years. So why aren’t seniors popping the champagne corks? Simple. It’s not a raise at…